Q: Did you ever feel bored during the three years of retreat?

A: Not at all! I felt very joyful the entire time.

Khenpo Tengye (K.T.):

Tashi Delek, Rinpoche-la. Firstly, thank you for taking the time to accept an interview with Thrangu Nectar of Dharma. In other interviews you have mentioned the location, your motivation, and other details of your retreat. Three years seemed to fly by very quickly. However, did you ever feel bored throughout this period? What did you do when you were bored?

I ask this because, in modern society, people are fond of the new but easily bored with the old. We tend to want the newest and the best things, for example when we hear of a new iPhone coming out, or of someone doing a new practice. Thus, when speaking about retreat, some will think, “I want to go to retreat since he is doing one too.” The current consumerist mentality propels us to want the best and latest of things. You have said in other interviews that you don’t really use phones or the internet, but these days most people would probably go crazy without internet access. Many people take selfies and post them on social media the moment they reach a new location, showing off where they have been that day. Therefore, a question I want to ask is: Things might be new and fresh at the beginning of a three year retreat, but how were you able to persevere and press on with it? Have you ever felt fatigued, fell ill, or had thoughts of giving up? If so, how did you deal with these situations?

Lodro Nyima Rinpche (L.N.R.):

After deciding to go for retreat, I closed my Wechat account and my phone connection. I have long regarded these (technological) things as a method for people to communicate, but they have become useless to me since I decided to go into retreat. Without them, my life, practice, studying and reading have greatly improved. I feel happier, more at ease, more joyful without these things.

K.T.:

Have you had any difficult experiences during retreat? It must be difficult to repeat the same practices daily and continuously for three years.

L.N.R.:

It was neither difficult nor inconvenient for me, as I had an attendant, Lama Palden, who assisted me with daily activities. All I had to do was to put practice first. Thus, I was very content and there was no inconvenience at all.

Q: What should we do before a retreat?

A: Make an aspiration. Life planning is very important!

K.T.:

Thank you Rinpoche. Next is a question about the process of preparing for retreat. What preparations did you make before deciding to go on retreat? The reason for asking is that many of us, at least myself, have stayed in Taiwan for a long time, and we lack the merit to conceive of doing a three year retreat as you have done. How should I prepare if I wanted to go on retreat? For example, it is nearly impossible for a person who usually doesn’t run or exercise to suddenly run a marathon next week. He might get injured doing so. In the same manner, is it also impossible for us to suddenly do a three year retreat? In order to make aspirations like you have, and to be able to conduct a retreat properly, what training or daily preparations can we undertake currently? In addition, what other preparations have you done, for example choosing a teacher and the site for retreat?

L.N.R.:

I made an aspiration to restore the old Thrangu monastery before the age of forty-five, and then practice like our Kagyu forefathers have done before. However, when I turned forty-five, the big earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai occurred. This affected my plan as I had to start restoring the monastery from the beginning. During the inauguration ceremony of the monastery in 2015, Thrangu Rinpoche and Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche came and saw the progress made at the monastery. I thought I would be able to go into retreat soon. However, Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche invited me to teach in the U.S. and I ended up spending two years there. I felt that I would not be able to fulfil my aspiration if I didn’t go for a retreat soon, and so I did.

I often remind myself of my aspiration, and this gradually provided me with the courage I needed to realize my goal. I feel that we need to make plans for our lives, especially as ordained monastics. At the beginning, we must conduct proper listening, contemplation and meditation. While doing so, there might be many worldly things we would have to do, for example teaching classes. I feel that is excellent, but on the other hand we still need to practice what we are preaching. If we can achieve this, there will probably not be any regrets in life. Thus, I believe that planning ahead in life is very, very important.

K.T.:

Khenpo Dawa and I both will take this to heart. (Both Khenpos laugh)

Q:How do benefitting sentient beings and personal practice relate to each other?

A:Meditation gives me more determination to help others!

K.T.:

Rinpoche-la, I came to the monastery’s inauguration and met you after the great earthquake at Yushu. I have a very clear recollection of you because of the integral role that you have played. As you briefly mentioned just now, it seems that you wished to head towards practice and retreat but worldly affairs had pulled you in the opposite direction, even though reconstructing the monastery and teaching in New York were for the sake of the dharma. This leads me to think of what Thrangu Rinpoche has mentioned before. He said, “A lot of times, practitioners are able to conduct the retreat smoothly because of the extent of his merit accumulated.” Rinpoche, you have taken up the responsibility of reconstructing the monastery upon yourself and carried out the instructions given by your teacher. Throughout this process, you did it with the motivation of accumulating merit. How important is the accumulation of merit?

L.N.R.:

During that time, I had to work day and night on the reconstruction of Thrangu monastery, and also had to fulfill the requests and needs of hundreds of villagers living nearby. This is also a process of accumulation of merit. However, while carrying out these activities, I could not calm my mind down and distractive thoughts affected my meditation rather significantly.

I thought that if I continued to remain in that condition, I would not be able to focus and settle my mind. It would be more beneficial mentally and physically if I could practice meditation formally. I would have more energy to satisfy the needs and requests of the villagers and bring about benefit to the monastery. Thus, I decided to head towards this direction (to go into retreat).

K.T.:

In another of your interviews, you mentioned that everyone cried the moment they saw you. They have been looking forward to your arrival and anticipate your activities in benefitting all sentient beings. That must have been an extremely moving moment hard to put into words.

Q:Staying in quarantine feels like staying in retreat. How do we manage our emotions?

A:Maintaining mental health and looking after one another is very important.

K.T.:

The next question is about Covid-19. The pandemic of the century has changed considerably the lives of the ordinary, forcing people to stay in quarantine and affecting the way we work and live. In a way, quarantine and retreat are rather similar. Many scientists and psychologists have pointed out that this is a time to slow down our pace and not tackle too many tasks at once.

This approach is vastly different from earlier times, when we had to do a lot of work in a short time span in order for one’s company to profit and overtake others. However, the pandemic has forced us to slow down, allowing us to become more in tune with our inner selves.

You decided to go on a three year retreat, not because of a pandemic, but out of your own wishes. How did you make the transition from being extremely busy to going back to the basics? Your experience in retreat will be very helpful for many people who are staying indoors during the pandemic.

L.N.R.:

The pandemic has had a substantial impact, with people all over the world panicking and worrying about the future. It has transformed the way we interact with one another. When I went to Hong Kong in the past, only the students that were physically there could see me. However, through current technological innovations, I can now interact with a lot more people. This pandemic has pushed us to utilize other methods to spread the dharma and to share our own experiences, which I personally regard as very positive.

We used to view external objects and conditions as very important, but now more of us have come to understand that being physically and mentally healthy is more vital. As a result of this reflection, many have also thus discovered the direction to their lives.

This pandemic has demonstrated that mutual care and understanding are extremely important. The initial regional transmission subsequently spread on a global scale, demonstrating the intimate relationship that we share with one another, and how small the planet actually is. Therefore, we must treasure our relationships more than ever, and do so in a different manner than before.

K.T.:

Just as Rinpoche has mentioned, I remember that I used to only contact Khenpo Dawa prior to a visit to Hong Kong, but now we call or video chat each other every other day. Our relationship seems to have become even closer than before. Isn’t it strange? (Laughs) Rinpoche mentioned that the pandemic has made us use more intimate ways to connect with one other, for example video chatting. More people are joining chat groups and people who don’t usually communicate are now in touch via phone calls. Some studies have also shown that interpersonal relationships are becoming stronger as a result of this pandemic.

Q:What should we pay attention to when listening to the dharma online?

A:The most profound dharma is the simplest dharma.

K.T.:

While visiting Khenpo Kathar in New York in 2013, during an interview or a teaching requested by a student, you mentioned how his simplicity and humbleness has impacted you. You also remarked that listening to dharma is convenient due to modern technology, but not everyone is able to actually take its meaning to heart. You said, “Sometimes, the most profound dharma is actually the simplest dharma.” You also stated that just contemplating the word “impermanence” itself is immensely helpful.

While discussing with Khenpo Dawa about using Zoom for classes at the Hong Kong Thrangu Vajrayana Buddhist Center, as many lamas give teachings online, are there any specific areas that disciples or listeners should pay attention to?

L.N.R.:

Just like you mentioned earlier, as a practitioner who constantly meditates on impermanence, we know what our daily practice should consist of and therefore won’t really become attached to too many external objects. Attachment brings about a lot of harm, and we can’t bring these external objects along with us ultimately. What can we take with us then? It is the inner practice we have.

As Khenpo mentioned earlier, in terms of mind training, the simplest dharma is the most profound. In any practice, we need to meditate on both the outer and inner preliminaries. If we are unable to meditate properly and allow the preliminaries to mix with our minds, any other practices like Mahamudra, Dzogchen or the Middle Way will simply become mere words, just like building castles in the air. Therefore, we need to meditate properly on impermanence which is easy for all to relate to, because it is something we can see and hear for ourselves. When we observe the changes constantly taking place everyday, we can become satisfied and content in our minds, allowing us to take things in stride. Thus, I personally reflect daily on the notion that the simplest dharma is the most profound.

Q:What is the importance of the guru?

A:The guru is always in our hearts.

K.T.:

Thank you. When you mentioned that the simplest dharma is the most profound, you also spoke of the importance of relying on a guru. After you became ordained, you went to Rumtek monastery and met the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa. Did Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche conduct the hair-cutting ceremony for you?

L.N.R.:

I was in Tibet when the 16th Karmapa passed into Parinirvana so I did not get to meet him. I received my vows from Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche.

K.T.:

Is it very important to have devotion to the guru during the retreat?

L.N.R.:

Actually, whether in or out of the retreat, the guru should always be in our hearts. Without doing so, we will not have something to rely on. After going for refuge in the Three Jewels, whether we are staying in or out of retreat, or whenever we are listening, contemplating and practicing the dharma, the guru should perpetually be in our hearts. We are like an orphan without anyone to rely on when we forget the guru, and we will not receive the blessings no matter what we practice. Although we might be able to learn the five great treatises using our intellect, ultimately we will not be able to connect with the meaning within. By not perceiving the guru as a living Buddha but as an ordinary person, we cannot receive the blessings of a living Buddha. We are unable to form an inner connection with the Buddhadharma regardless of how poignantly we can describe it. This is why the guru is extremely important.

Any advice about the practice of White Tara?

A:Regard White Tara as the root of all dharma.

K.T.:

As my last question, I read online that you and Kathar Rinpoche went on a White Tara retreat in the U.S. in 2013?

L.N.R.:

No, I went on a White Tara retreat for Kathar Rinpoche’s long life. I stayed on the second floor and held the retreat there while Kathar Rinpoche stayed on the first floor. After the retreat ended, I offered the offerings to Kathar Rinpoche.

K.T.:

Thrangu Rinpoche mainly practices the White Tara, and Khenpo Dawa and I teach on it frequently. Do you have any advice on the practice?

L.N.R.:

I heard that upon Thrangu Rinpoche’s first meeting with the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa at Tsurphu monastery, the Karmapa told him, “You have to spread the dharma in the future. For that, you need to live a long life.” Thrangu Rinpoche has since been doing the White Tara practice after receiving empowerments and oral transmissions from the Karmapa. Currently eighty-seven years old, Rinpoche’s activities have helped the dharma spread all around the world. I personally think, or actually believe, that this is all due to the blessings of White Tara.

I heard that our dharma friends, Khenpos and Lamas in Taiwan and Hong Kong recite and practice the White Tara sadhana daily. There is a special connection between White Tara and our monasteries and dharma centers; there is a huge blessing and we should all practice ever more diligently. Khenpo Kathar once mentioned to me that when he was gravely ill, Kalu Rinpoche and Bokar Rinpoche personally visited him and made him practice White Tara. He added that obstacles to his health have vanished since then.

Tara is the essence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions. We need to do the Tara practice if we sincerely wish to help spread the dharma and benefit sentient beings, and specifically White Tara practice to remove obstacles to our longevity. We need enough time if we genuinely want to help the dharma flourish, and thus we need to do this practice. Tara doesn’t just remove obstacles to long life; we can receive any kind of blessings and both worldly and non-worldly aims can be fulfilled. If we regard White Tara as the root of all dharma and the essence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and see her as the guru, the yidam and the dharma protector, we will be able to receive the blessings easily and swiftly. Therefore, I greatly rejoice in your efforts to spread this practice.

Q:How did you feel about Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche’s Parinirvana?

A: His wisdom will always be with us and protect us.

K.T.:

Ani-la has a question. How did you feel when you heard about Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche’s Parinirvana while you were in retreat?

L.N.R.:

I couldn’t believe it at all when I heard of the news. Afterwards, I thought that it was useless to be depressed about it as he has already passed away. Although we can’t see him physically with our eyes, his wisdom will always be protecting us. A few days ago, I went to the Thrangu nunnery and told the nuns that Thrangu Rinpoche and Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche will always protect and bless us. Although he has passed into Parinirvana and we will never be able to see him again, he is in a pure land and will never cease to continue protecting us with his wisdom. We all have to work harder at preserving the traditions of Thrangu monastery.

Q:Please give advice to the disciples living in a tension-filled Hong Kong.

A:Look after one another and transform the pandemic into a favourable condition for mind training.

Khenpo Dawa (K.D.):

I want to ask a question because you have gathered a lot of experience in retreat. In these past few months, as a result of the pandemic, many people around the world are unhappy and suffer from increasing pressure especially in Hong Kong. Now the government has forbidden citizens from going outdoors after 6 p.m. and dining outside is also prohibited, so the situation is not unlike staying in a retreat. Please provide dharma advice to citizens of Hong Kong currently facing anxiety, tension and unhappiness.

L.N.R.:

This pandemic has made an immense impact on people all across the world. Families, organizations and societies are no longer as happy and friendly as before. Khenpo Dawa mentioned that people are unable to go outside. However, from a Buddhist perspective, the very inability to do so makes a huge contribution to the society at large, because not travelling around protects both self and others, and it does not waste any national resources. If we contract the virus by not protecting ourselves and roaming around, the government will have to spend a lot on treatment and other expenses. It becomes a huge inconvenience to doctors and nurses. They too have parents and siblings and are also somebody else’s children. Thus, first we need to protect ourselves which is equivalent to protecting the society and those around us. Protection and prevention is extremely important.

Secondly, as Buddhists, although we can’t go outside, we can utilize this opportunity to work on our body, speech and mind in solitude. By making genuine aspirations for the entire world to heal from this pandemic, we can accumulate merit without having to rely on someone else or spend a single dime. As a practitioner, this is a remarkable opportunity to gradually train our minds and generate loving-kindness. People without faith might be saddened by being put on pause, unable to accept their usual entertainments like drinking and hanging out with friends; Buddhists, on the other hand, can view this as an opportunity granted by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to train our minds and practice loving-kindness. We must not waste this opportunity presented to us, instead we must transform it into an aid to our practice.

I heard that the dharma center in Hong Kong has guided and led many people to recite prayers and do practices online dedicated to world peace and the quelling of this pandemic. I sincerely thank you, Khenpo Dawa and others for your efforts. I make the aspiration here to continue working for the benefit of all beings.